Metal feeding mechanism for typeforming machines



Feb. 4, 1941. H. s. NICHOLS Y 2,230,513

METAL FEEDING MECHANISM FOR 'IYPE-FDRMING MACHINES Filed March 16, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet i Mama/202$ INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 4, 1941 METAL FEEDING MECHANISM FOR TYPE- FORMING MACHINES Henry G. Nichls,'North Wilkesboro, N. 0.

Application March 16,

1 Claim.

.My invention relates to type-forming machines and more particularly to devices for feeding a pig of metal to the melting pot of said machine.

One of the principal objects of my invention is to provide a metal feeder adapted for association with a type-forming machine and which is so constructed and arranged as to automatically feed a pig of metal to the melting pot of said machine.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the above described character equipped with means for automatically controlling the feed of the metal to the melting pot in a manner whereby the molten metal in the melting pot may be maintained at a desired level.

A further object .of my invention is to provide a'device of the character described equipped with signalling means whereby the operator of the machine is Warned when the supply of pig metal .20 becomes exhausted.

An important object of my invention is to providea device of the character described which is simple in construction, durable in operation, efficient in use, and economical in manufacture.

Another important object of my invention is toprovide a device of the character described which is readily attachable to type-forming machines already in use without modifying the latter.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description, appended claim and annexed drawings.

Referring to the drawings wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout .35 the several views:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of my invention illustrating the latter attached to a portion of a type-forming machine.

Figure 2 is an end elevation of my invention.

Figure 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view of my invention illustrating the parts in non-feeding position.

Figure 4 is a detail sectional view taken on the line 44 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a detail sectional view of the adjustable sleeve for effecting connection between the pump operating armand the arm for operating the feeding machine.

Figure 6 is a detail sectional view taken on-the .50 line66 of Figure 2.

..55 ing pot 6 having contained thereinapump '1 pro- 1939, Serial No. 262,274

vided with the usual piston rod 8, the latter being connected to a pump actuating rocker arm 9 mounted on a shaft ll], it being understood that said shaft is operated by the type-forming machine to effect reciprocation of the piston rod 8 and subsequent actuation of the pump in the usual manner for discharging molten metal from the pot Bfor forming types or slugs.

The portion of the machine illustrated is provided with a top having an oifset section and which forms a base II for the support of my device which comprises a frame having upwardly and inwardly extending legs 12, the latter being connected at their upper ends to a deck l3 formed with vertical and horizontal sections I4 and I5 .15 respectively. The upper end of one of said legs is fashioned with a rib terminating in a bearing [6 through which extends a shaft H, the latter being fixed to said bearing 16 against rotation by means of a'nut l8 threaded on the end of said shaft adjacent said bearing.

Rotatably mounted on the shaft I! is a cathead 19, the latterbeing formed with a ratchet wheel 20 and with spaced chain receiving channels 2| and 22 in which are carried chains 23 and 24 respectively having upper ends connected to said cat-head for a purpose hereinafter set forth. Interposed between the cat-head and section [4 is a brake drum 25, the latter being fashioned on the periphery thereof, adjacent said section M, with a ratchet gear 26 and the face of .said drum adjacent said cat-head l9 has pivotally mounted thereon a pawl 21 for engagement with the teeth'of the ratchet Wheel 20 as clearly illustrated in/Figures 1, 2 and 3 of the drawings. A spring 28 carried by the drum connects the latter to said pawl'and serves to maintain the pawl in engagement with the wheel 20.

Pivotally mounted on the section l5, of the deck I3, is a bell crank 29, one end of which has pivoted thereto a brake shoe 3D for engagement. with the brake drum whereby to normally maintain the latter against rotation. The opposite end of the crank 29 has pivoted thereto the upper end of a bolt 3| which slidably extends vertically through the section l5 and has secured on the lower end thereof a wing nut 32. Mounted on the bolt between the nut 32 and section I5 is a coil spring 33 serving to tension the shoe against the drum 25. Obviously, by adjusting the nut 32 the tension of the spring is varied together with the tension of the shoe relative to the drum.

The chains 23 and .24 extend downwardly through openings 34 and 35 respectively in the section I5 .and the lower end of the chain 24 is provided with a finger ring 36 of a diameter to preclude said ring passing through the opening when the chain 24 is actuated upwardly as hereinafter more fully described. The lower end of the chain 23 is provided with a hook 31 which is attached through the eyed upper end of a pig of metal 38 adapted to be fed into the melting pot 6 and said pig of metal serves as a weight for effecting rotation of the cat-head upon rotation of said drumas hereinafter set forth.

Adjustably mounted on the rocker arm 9 is a sleeve 39, the latter being pivoted to the lower end of a lower feed arm 40, the upper end of which is adjustably and pivotally connected to a link 4| pivoted to one of the legs |2 as clearly illustrated in Figures 1 and 3. A screw 42 is provided in the sleeve 39 whereby to maintain said sleeve in adjusted positionon the arm 9. Also adjustably and pivotally connected to the link 4| is the lower end of an upper feed arm 43, the upper end of which is formed with a pawled section 44 for engagement with the teeth of the ratchet gear 26. Obviously, actuation of the rocker arm 9 to effect discharge of the molten metal from the melting pot 6 causes reciprocation of the feed arms 46 and 43 which in turn, through the medium of the pawled section 44, serves to effect rotation of the drum 25 against the tension of the shoe 30. Rotation of the drum 25 permits rotation of the cat-head l9 for the reason that the ratchet wheel 20 follows the pawl 21 due to the weight of the pig of metal 38. R0- tation of the cat-head |9 serves to effect lowering of the pig of metal into the melting pot for melting therein, it being understood that substantially the same amount of metal is discharged from said melting pot by the pump as is introduced therein through the lowering of the pig of metal therewithin.

By adjusting the arms 40 and 43 relative to the link 4| and the sleeve 39 relative to the arm 9 the operator can insure a like amount of metal being introduced into the melting pot as is dis charged therefrom. However, topreclude accidental overflowing of the melting pot, I provide therein a float 45, the latter having secured thereto the lower end of a rod 46. The upper section of the rod 46 extends through the'lower end of a bracket 41 mounted on the leg l2 above the link 4|. Said upper section of the rod 46 is provided at the upper end with a hook 48 connected to the lower end of a chain 49 trained over a pulley rotatably mounted on the upper end of the bracket 41.

The opposite end of the chain 49 is detachably connected to the hook-end of a bolt 50, the opposite end of which extends through the arm 43 and is provided thereon with an'adjus-ting nut 5|. A spring 52 is mounted on the bolt 50 between said hook-end and the arm 43 and serves to maintain the nut 5| in engagement with the arm. By adjusting the nut 5|, the hook-end of the bolt may be actuated in a direction away from or towards. said arm as desired. Should the molten metal in the melting pot rise above a predetermined level by an accelerated lowering of the pig of metal therein, the float will likewise rise and cause a similar movement of the rod 46 thereby permitting slack in the chain 49.

As illustrated, the arm 43 extends upwardly and outwardly relative to the deck I3, thus, when further rotation of the drum 25 until the float lowers suiliciently to take up the slack in the chain 49 and actuate the arm 43 into engagement with the ratchet gear 26.

When the pig of metal has been completely lowered into the pot 6, the finger ring 36 engages the deck I3 and prevents further rotation of the cat-head through the medium of the chain 24 and thereby effects ratcheting of the pawl 21 over the teeth of the wheel 20 upon rotation of the drum 25.

Therefore, in order to warn the operator of the machine that the pig of metal is exhausted, I provide a signal device which comprises a gong 53 mounted interiorly of the drum 25 and which has associated therewith a clapper 54 provided with an arm extending through a slot 55 in the side wallof the drum and fixed to the pawl. Ratcheting of the pawl over the teeth of the wheel 20 serves to actuate the clapper and ring the gong, thus signalling the operator of the exhaustion of the pig of metal.

When the pig of metal has become exhausted, the operator by actuating the chain 24 downwardly through the medium of the finger ring 36 effects rotation of the cat-head in a clockwise direction relative to the drum 25 and disposes the hook 31 of the chain 23 in raised position for having attached thereto another pig of metal. A finger ring 56 is secured within the length of the chain 23 and serves as a stop member to limit the upward movement of the chain and also to permit ready adjustment of the chain when it is desired to manually lower the pig of metal.

The float also serves to effect engagement of the pawled section 44 of the rod 43 with the gear 26 at a point thereon sufiicient to cause lowering of the chain so that the same quantity of metal is introduced into the pot as is discharged therefrom even though the arm 43 makes a complete stroke.

The lower end of the leg on which the bracket 41 is secured is fashioned with a slot for accommodating therethrough a set screw 51 carried by a projection on the base whereby the frame may be securely attached and adjusted thereon. Thelopposite leg is formed with a plurality of openings and through one of which the arm 43 extends and the wall of said opening serves to limit the outward movement of said arm when the latter is disengaged from the ratchet gear 26 upon actuation of the float 45.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that I have provideda simple and eflicient device for automatically lowering pigs of metal within a melting pot and which may be readily attached to type-forming machines of various standard types without modifying the latter.

It is to be distinctly understood that various changes and modifications may be resorted to in the construction of my invention without depart,- ing from thespirit of the latter or the scope of the appended claim.

What I claim is: r

In combination with a type-forming machine equipped with a melting pot and a rocker arm,

taining said drum against rotation, a cat-head rotatably mounted on said frame adjacent said drum, a flexible-element carried by said cat-head and adapted to suspend a pig of metal over said pot in a manner whereby said pig of metal normally urges rotation of said cat-head, a pawl carried by said drum and effecting tooth connection with said cat-head for maintaining the latter against rotation by said pig of metal relative 10 said pig of metal whereby the latter is lowered into said pot a float in said pot and connected to said member for moving the latter into inoperative position with respect to said drum upon raising of said float beyond a predetermined position to said pot to preclude lowering of said pig of metal into said pot, and a signal device connected to said pawl and operable by the latter upon rotation of said drum relative to said cathead.

' HENRY G. NICHOLS. 

